Tell Congress to Stop Holding the National Park Service Hostage!

I urge all National Parks supporters to write to your representatives in Congress and tell them to stop holding the National Park Service hostage every time there is a budget crisis. The NPS budget is barely a drop in the bucket.

My letter to Montana’s Congressmen (subject: “Stop Holding National Parks Hostage”)

“Dear Sir, The [...]

Adding more birds to the year list…

On Jan 5 & 6, I made a couple more trips to add more birds to my year list – and enjoy whatever other sights were encountered along the way.  This doe sure kept a close eye on me as I walked one of the trails at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge.

There [...]

Getting the year bird list started…

I got started a little later than I had planned on Jan 1 to get my 2013 year bird list started.  Darn champagne!

Nonetheless, it was a great day.  I saw 37 species, to get my list off to a good start.  I was surprised to find 4 western meadowlarks in falling snow on Airport [...]

Lewis & Clark Caverns Candlelight Tour 2012

For several years I’ve wanted to do the Lewis & Clark Caverns Candlelight Tour. This year it worked out. I’m so glad it did! It had been many years since last I visited the caverns, and I had forgotten how fantastic that subterranean wonderland is!

More photos from that [...]

It turned out to be a great day, after all…

Today my sister and I met a truck driver friend at the rest area near Opportunity, MT to show him around the Deer Lodge Valley.  We were sure, just sure, that we’d be able to find some good raptors along the East River Road in the Deer Lodge Valley, or bighorn sheep in the valley [...]

Winter Arrives

Winter solstice is a couple weeks away, but winter has arrived in Western Montana.  From me, winter gets a friendly “Welcome!”

The sub-alpine fir trees up on Lolo Pass are one good storm away from turning into snow ghosts.

Also welcome was a visit from a flock of pine grosbeaks to the [...]

Falling into Winter around Missoula – 2012

I enjoy the changes of seasons, not just that we have season in MT, all of which I enjoy, but I enjoy the transition from one season to another.

As autumn “falls” into winter, there are so many beautiful sights to enjoy.

Fly fishermen enjoying the fine fall day in the Clark Fork River near [...]

Yellowstone, October 18-21, 2012

The family and I enjoyed a four day fall weekend in Yellowstone National Park October 18-21, 2012.

The Park was relatively quiet.  The fires of September weren’t kicking up smoke, the elk rut was winding down, migratory birds had largely departed, the bears were playing hard to find…  But, of course, there was still plenty [...]

Yellowstone September 16, 2012

On this day I would have to head home — but not before having some more fun in the Park.

I pulled up my tent stakes and packed up, then headed south from the Norris Campground as far as the Gibbon Meadows. I caught a quick glimpse of a grizzly bear through the morning fog, [...]

Yellowstone September 15, 2012

Last full day in the Park(s) for this trip.

I started the day by heading east over the Norris-Canyon Road.  I took the Virginia Cascades drive and stopped for another morning photo from the meadow above the cascades.  On this morning, fog and smoke from the Cygnet Complex fires combined for a surreal sunrise.

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